Agni-VI: India’s Next Missile all set to Surprise the World ?

Agni-VI: India’s Next Missile all set to Surprise the World ?
Published July 14, 2017 SOURCE: VISHAL KARPE / FOR MY TAKE / IDRW.ORG

Agni-VI !!! What’s that? Never heard about it . were the actual words used by DRDO chief Dr S Christopher when asked by media about Agni-VI Program a few months back, while Government and DRDO continue to refuse to confirm or deny existence or development of successor of Agni-V, Chatter around seems to hint that India is just a few days or a few months away from surprising the world by testing China Centric Intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) in coming days.

Agni-5 India’s first China Centric ICBM recently turned 5 and also underwent its fourth and final test-firing last year and will now undergo at least two user-trials by the tri-service Strategic Forces Command (SFC) before it enters full-scale production and induction, which has lead to wide-scale speculation among Defence and Nuclear analysts worldwide on possible debut of Agni-VI pretty soon .

Former DRDO chief Vijay Kumar Saraswat in his tenure had confirmed that India had all the building blocks to develop a longer range and more capable missile then Agni-V and talks about MIRVs (multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicles) capable Agni-VI being under development as been speculated by both Indian and International Defence and Nuclear analysts for a long time now.

DRDO usually has development gap between each Agni-series of less than 4 years and Agni-V turning 5 without any successor in sight suggests that Successor at least is ready in semi-knocked down condition which can be assembled in few days for its first debut test flight if given clearance from the top but since DRDO has been so tight-lipped about Agni-VI, it suggests that the final decision will be a political one and reasons to keep Agni-VI under wrapped, might be a Strategic one .

Agni-VI with 6,000-7,500 km range and ability to carry a larger multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicles (MIRVs) payload capability over Agni-V will send shockwaves not only in Bejing but also in all European countries which will be put them under Agni-VI range. Speculation is also there that Upgraded lighter Agni-V might be tested with MIRV Capability with under reported range to pass it off as just an improved Agni-V to keep nerves calm in many countries with whom India is working in trying to secure its entry in the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).

All-composite Agni-V with improved components will make it significantly lighter than its current avatar and with MIRV warheads, Agni-V will lead to range extension of 1500-2000 km with a 1.5-tonne warhead and Chinese officials have already debunked Indian claim of 5500 km slated range of Agni-V and have said that it is capable of striking targets 8,000 km away with a lighter payload which technically could mean that with a full payload a lighter Agni-V might be able to strike over 7000km range and with light payload over 9000km and Agni-VI could be 10000km capable ICBM with reported range of 6000km .

While DRDO has not made any effort to clear confusion on who will be successor to the Agni-V, Two Successor theories floated around by Defence and Nuclear analysts worldwide and also in India is that to keep heat off its Nuclear Missile program, India might introduce upgraded Agni-V with the same name but with minor design change or with an extensions like Agni-V+ or Agni-VPrime to maintain a low profile of the new missile even if it comes with MIRV warheads and increased range or it might finally reveal Agni-VI but with understated range .

Agni-5 itself is 8000kms and this we don't acknowledge but China rants at every occasion and their think tank too know its true range. Also there is talk of Agni-5 prime a lighter version with greater range. So in all probability Agni-6 is 10000-12000kms range missiles.

To reveal further Agni 5 & 6 are not Agni series missiles at all. Surprised?.......... Well these are SURYA missiles Surya-1 and Surya-2. Why Agni name is being used is world is comfortable with this name and range declared. If name is declared Surya and true range declared we will have European and American govt. on our neck. But now with latest chinese Rants the world will understand our difficulties and will become comfortable with this development.

If ISRO can perfect the technology for ejecting 104 satellites from one rocket, I don't see much of a problem in using similar tech with a few modifications for the MIRV warhead for Agni VI.

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It might already be there on A-5 in a group of three warheads per missile. However given the sensitive nature of any development in this field. DRDO saves non-alarming features for covering up actual reasons behind all new missile.

I mean how many believe that an all new missile is required for adding just one feature --MIRV-- when all you need is a change in shape of the heat shield? ........Very few believe such statements. But politically it works so they are used.

With A-6 we are actually going for full blown road mobile, canister launched ICBM with MIRVs. After that, we might test A-SAT.

Although the Agni-4 will be capable of striking targets in nearly all of China from northeastern India (including Beijing and Shanghai), India is also developing the longer-range Agni-5, a three-stage, solid-fuel, rail-mobile, near-intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capable of delivering a warhead more than 5,000 kilometres (3,100-plus miles), it said.

"The extra range will allow the Indian military to establish Agni-5 bases in central and southern India, further away from China," the research article said.

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Now as a surface launched system, A5 is capable of targeting whole of China from anywhere in India.

So in this scenario, a mere 1000 km increase in range is inconsequential. Its more like that a MIRV'd A5 would be named as A6.
But where is the old range of 8k to 10k gone? As I have already mentioned before, I would like to see a 8k to 10k range SLBM as A6.

But where is the old range of 8k to 10k gone? As I have already mentioned before, I would like to see a 8k to 10k range SLBM as A6.

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Regarding range, once the missile is outside the earth's atmosphere it can coast forever. In a sense it will in in orbit around earth and therefore have an almost unlimited range.

For example, where the Agni 5 is concerned, the first stage is fired for 90 seconds, getting the missile to 40 kms altitude, the second stage separates at the 155 second stage, getting the A-5 to 110 kms altitude, and the third stage separated after firing for the next approx 135 seconds to reach the missile into space and outside of the earth’s pull, with the built-up momentum taking the A-5 to its ballistic apogee of around 600 kms.

At this altitude, a missile is in orbit around the earth. For example, the CARTOSAT series of satellites have an orbit with a perigee of 200 km and an apogee of 1,200 km above the earth’s surface and will be in orbit for the better part of a decade covering millions of kms.

Thus the A-5 with an apogee of 600 km can be in orbit almost indefinitely, resulting in an infinite range like other ICBMs. But it needs to be got down to hit the target for which an enormous amount fuel is needed for re-entry into the atmosphere. Here lies the rub! Fuel!

Further we are developing K series missile which will extend it's range even further when launched with submarine.

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It has been reported that DRDO is replacing the metallic metalic parts of Agni 5 with composites. That will reduce weight and better range vs payload performance. Besides becoming base model for the development of +8000km range K-4/5 SLBM.

Regarding range, once the missile is outside the earth's atmosphere it can coast forever. In a sense it will in in orbit around earth and therefore have an almost unlimited range.

For example, where the Agni 5 is concerned, the first stage is fired for 90 seconds, getting the missile to 40 kms altitude, the second stage separates at the 155 second stage, getting the A-5 to 110 kms altitude, and the third stage separated after firing for the next approx 135 seconds to reach the missile into space and outside of the earth’s pull, with the built-up momentum taking the A-5 to its ballistic apogee of around 600 kms.

At this altitude, a missile is in orbit around the earth. For example, the CARTOSAT series of satellites have an orbit with a perigee of 200 km and an apogee of 1,200 km above the earth’s surface and will be in orbit for the better part of a decade covering millions of kms.

Thus the A-5 with an apogee of 600 km can be in orbit almost indefinitely, resulting in an infinite range like other ICBMs. But it needs to be got down to hit the target for which an enormous amount fuel is needed for re-entry into the atmosphere. Here lies the rub! Fuel!

I hope you are talking about Boost Glide....... A coasting warhead is no good with the numbers of ASAT available around. So this is one of the reason why one have to develop the reentry technology for a proper ICBM or IRBM. We simply can't take it for granted that one the warhead is in suborbital stage, we could have unlimited range.

I hope you are talking about Boost Glide....... A coasting warhead is no good with the numbers of ASAT available around. So this is one of the reason why one have to develop the reentry technology for a proper ICBM or IRBM. We simply can't take it for granted that one the warhead is in suborbital stage, we could have unlimited range.

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Wait for K4 and HSTDV, K15 already prove that we are one of the first to go for booster glider warhead.

While others are only doing development flights, ours is in production called B05.